diff --git a/app/commands.py b/app/commands.py
index 63a3e218b..67a971f6c 100644
--- a/app/commands.py
+++ b/app/commands.py
@@ -11,5 +11,22 @@ def list_routes():
         print("{:10} {}".format(", ".join(rule.methods - set(['OPTIONS', 'HEAD'])), rule.rule))  # noqa
 
 
+@click.command()
+@click.argument('csv_path')
+@with_appcontext
+def tmp_backfill_areas(csv_path, dry_run=True):
+    import csv
+
+    from app.models.broadcast_message import BroadcastMessage
+
+    for id, service_id in csv.reader(open(csv_path)):
+        message = BroadcastMessage.from_id(id, service_id=service_id)
+        print(f'Updating {message.id}')  # noqa
+
+        if not dry_run:
+            message._update_areas(force_override=True)
+
+
 def setup_commands(application):
     application.cli.add_command(list_routes)
+    application.cli.add_command(tmp_backfill_areas)
diff --git a/app/models/broadcast_message.py b/app/models/broadcast_message.py
index 6fc3fd8fd..c794b7461 100644
--- a/app/models/broadcast_message.py
+++ b/app/models/broadcast_message.py
@@ -240,12 +240,20 @@ class BroadcastMessage(JSONModel):
             service_id=self.service_id,
         )
 
-    def _update_areas(self):
-        self._update(areas_2={
+    def _update_areas(self, force_override=False):
+        areas_2 = {
             'ids': self.area_ids,
             'names': [area.name for area in self.areas],
             'simple_polygons': self.simple_polygons.as_coordinate_pairs_lat_long
-        })
+        }
+
+        data = {'areas_2': areas_2}
+
+        # TEMPORARY: while we migrate to a new format for "areas"
+        if force_override:
+            data['force_override'] = True
+
+        self._update(**data)
 
     def _update(self, **kwargs):
         broadcast_message_api_client.update_broadcast_message(